weird symptoms after coming off depo provera

I can't believe I didn't find this forum earlier, like when I suffered very sensitive nipples and spent a month thinking I was pregnant (though no other side effects). I was on Depo for 10 years and feel very lucky that all I suffered was the reduced libido and a bit of weight gain. I have noticed I'm more moody since being off Depo (it's been about 9 months) and the closest I've come to a period is brownish discharge, though a fair amount of cramping around that time. I can't say if my breasts got larger at first, I was too preoccupied with the painfully sensitive nipples. It's gotten better though; oddly enough I didn't even suffer this side effect 'til about 2 months ago.
Around the same time as my breasts became super sensitive my discharge has become kinds stringy and pasty. I haven't noticed anyone else mentioning this. Kinda gross to talk about but I am a bit worried about it. If anyone else has the same symptom please share!!

I was on the shot for about 3 1/2 to 4 years and the only thing my dr ever told me was it will be a great birth control and no more periods. If i knew anything else about the stupid shot I wouldn't have ever gone on it. This shot is evil. The whole time I was on the shot I always had spotting, loss of sex drive, dryness. I had my last shot in Feb 07 went on the pill for a few months afer to regulate my system, and right away my periods returned. I got married in april 07 and my husband and i would like to start a family right after christmas, but ever since I've been off the pill every month my period comes every two weeks. I'm so sick of having a period twice a month, and my sex drive is back but it's still uncomfortable sometimes to have sex and it makes me so mad! My last shot was eight months ago when is my body going to be regulated already??? Is anyone else having the same periods every two weeks and did they finally get back to normal on their own?

o.k i used to be on depo and had no problem with it it took like a year after tht for my periods to return i recently decided to go back on it an this time it has giv me a huge weight gain...

i then decided not to continue when i was due to hav the next one its 4 months since the initial injection n i havent lost ne weight

will i lose it

how long does it normally take??

:-( It's been two years since I been off depo I was on it 5yrs ago, and planned parenthood pulled me off Jan. 2005, because they say women's bones were becoming brittle, while on the shot I gained 20lbs, period stopped had painful breast, hairloss, yeastinfections, and decreased sex drive.I'm 36 and about 10mo. after I stopped taking the shot I started having tingling and burning pain in my neck,arms,hands,back,legs and feet. My doctor ran test on me and everything came back negative, he finally sent me to a chronic pain doctor who did a MRI on my back I was diagnosed 2006 with degenerative disc disease in my neck and spine ,I been living in chronic pain every since I stopped taking the shot. I was in perfect health before the shot and don't have a family history of back problems , I'm blaming depo for this and also planned parenthood because they did'nt inform me that I only should've been taking it for 2yrs, now my back is all messed up because they misled patients about depo and yes I have a lawyer that shot has ruined my life yes if you have been on the shot for more than 2yrs and finally stop taking it you are going to exeperience some type of permanent damage to your body the shot is poison.

Ladies, this may be long but I need some help, support and advice...I stopped using Depo in October of 05...now get this...I did not get a period for 12 months...I was so excited, like getting a new car and then I did not get another one for 3 months, totally freaked out cause I was dating a new guy and we had fooled around a few times without protection. Well then Aunt FLO appeared again and now it appears twice a month...now the appearances are different. One period is normal flow, one period is dark and clotting. Sometimes I just can't handle the bloating and actually have three different sizes of clothing...Anywhoo..the doc says not to worry (not the same doc that gave me depo), she has told me to be very patient. BUT I WANT TO HAVE A BABY...the same guy and I are talking about it and have to over come his issues (testicular cancer and removal of a testicle)...

Anyway has anyone had this? Also...talk about hormonal changes, has anyone had excessive dry skin and actual vaginal itching. I Have been tested for everything under the sun and my doc tells me that I am paranoid but these things only started happening after I went off the depo and started get my period...it is getting quite annoying...I want one period a month and to know I am not a nut job

I am so happy I found this site! I am 28 ad came off the depo in August. I did have some bleeding around the time I normally had a period and I thought amazing! I did have a break a few years ago of a year after taking depo for about 4 years. I had no side effects besides no period for about 3 mohs. This time I chose to come off it because of bone density risks and wanting to get my body in shape for a baby in the future. All this was against the advise of the nurse and doctor who administered the shots. I thought I was pregnant until reading others responses. My breasts are so sore it's unbelievable! They have definately increased in size which was another reson I thought I was pregnant. I haven't slept more than 3 hours a night since coming off the shots and my energy levels are 0. I exercise 4-5 times a week but since coming off the shot I don't have the energy and I am also experiencing abdominal cramping and neck pain. I am also noticing some fat gain in my stomach even though the scales claim no weight gain. Dep is the devil and while I thought it was a miracle while unaware of all he risks I can honestly say I would NEVER recommend it!
I hope my symptoms of breast pain go away soon - I even looked into having a disorder they are so bad...I feel for everyone else who stads with me and I THANKYOU all for helping me realize what was going on with my body!

I was on the depo when I was 18 for about a year only side effect was weight gain. I went back on it after my son in May 06. I was scheduled for my last shot in Aug 07 but I never showed up for it due to change in jobs and lack of insurance. Since being off the depo I am spotting every other week sometimes for 2-3 days at a time. I hate being around anyone and everyone, sometimes I just let my kids take care of themselves (they are 5 and 1) just so I dont yell at them for no reason at all. From reading the other posts it seems everyone has the same side effects in some way or fashion. I totally lost my sex drive. My fiancee is lucky he gets it when he does (once a mth maybe). I do not recommend this to anyone. I keep a headache, I have yet to loose any of the weight both from being pregnant and being on the shot (50lbs). I just want my old self back!!

bare with me here ,, i have found that taking the depo shot throws the body into a involuntary state of menopause it as you all know stops estrogen,hormones, progesterone, and also slows down androgen much like menopause who knows it may takes 18 months or more to get the body straightened out or maybe a few years i guess depending how long the person has taken it plus considering age cause depo can cause also early menopause 45 and under i believe it is ... but after 2 years you need to be checked for osteoperosis which the depo can bring on. it breaks down the bone density if taking for more than 2 years. please everyone get checked...

I took depro provera once after an etopic pregancy, and it took 5 months for my period to come back after that last shot. Does anyone know what my chances are of getting pregant. I lost a fallopian tube.

I completely understand what you mean by "stringy and pasty". I was on Depo for 5 years, had my last jab in October 05. It took a year before I got any sign of a period and then all I got was the brownish discharge which I had nearly every day for about 5 or 6 months, then finally I got a period. Over the last few months my periods have started to become more regular, but at the moment are heavy and can last for two weeks. just before I get one I get the brownish discharge and stringy bits. As for other effects of stopping Depo, I've had dizzy spells, pains in my shoulder, upset tummy, cramps, night sweats, feeling sick, but not being sick, loss of sex drive, tiredness. Thankfully I haven't put on any weight, but I did go through the very tender breast phase.
It was very reassuring to find this site, as i now know I'm not going mad or being a hypochondriac. Thanks to everyone, here's hopeing we all get back to normal.

i got off depo in nov last year and went to doctors cause we decided that we wanted to have another baby they gave me a pack of bc pills and told me to take them i took one and stared my period that night that was in april and here it is nov again and still haven't gotten pregnet yet but i did have all the same pains that every one has said. but if and when i do get pregnet i will let you all know how long i only took the pills for 3 days because the pains that i had from my period were so bad that the doctor told me just to stop taking them and let nature take it course and the shot to get out of my system on it own but there was a few things that he said would help drinking lots of water, and sweating other then that i am still waiting i have not been ovulating there has been several sites that i have went on to so i would know and don't waste the money on the ovulation test all of them that i have taken say that i am but with out the other signs they don't work at all just wasting money then but it should come back in another few months i hope

I too am very glad I found this site. I knew it would take a while to get my period back after I got off of Depo, but I have been kind of freaking out lately with all of the symtoms. I was on Depo for 10 years with virtually no side effects other than having no period, which was great of course! Then I had my last shot in February 2007 because my husband and I decided we would like to start a family (I am 31). At first I didn't notice anything but my skin was breaking out a lot and I just never seem to be without pimples. Then about 7 months after my last shot my breasts became very sore and tender like others have mentioned, as well as seeming swollen. I got my first period in October. Just prior to that I had the stringy mucus someone else mentioned. The period was normal. About two weeks later, I was feeling extremely nauseous with no appetite, so I thought maybe I was pregnant, which, of course, I wasn't. Then I got the mucus again with another normal period, but it was only 20 days later. About two weeks later, I got the mucus again, although this time it had some brownish blobs in it, which freaked out my poor husband! I've read some other things like Our Bodies, Our Selves, and this mucus can indicate ovulation, so now I am super obsessive and can't sleep thinking that I should have gotten my next period by now or I must be pregnant. but reading everyone else's posts has made me realize that I need to calm down and just be patient (which is hard), because I guess our bodies are just going through some extreme adjustment. It is just very nerve-wracking not knowing if your period is coming and it is impossible to know when you are actually ovulating in order to try to get pregnant. I do wish I had gone off of Depo a bit sooner. Also, I have had some weight gain after getting off, not during, like all of the warning labels tell you! It is kind of strange to have the side effects once you are off the drug. Well, this has made me feel better just writing about it. Good luck to everyone else who is dealing with this too!

I have only had 1 shot of depo and dont think i will ever go back for a second shot .
I had irregular periods and doctor thought since the last one lasted approx 3 weeks he said wed try depo well was i worn to try it . i have friends on it that never complain or even had spotting . so on october 25th 2007 i had my first shot and it was great for almost 4 weeks nothing then the end of october it started and is heavier than ever and its been 4 weeks now and it is still here. a box of 40 tampons usually lasts me 2 months ( 2 cycles) but oh no i am on my 4th box of 40 tampons = 160 tampons. i can feel clots comeout when using the toilet. went to see the DR but he was away for 2 weeks due ti confrences so i am going to him tomorrow. its been here 4 weeks and not any sign of letting up still heavy and clots.
Anyone experiencing this issue?

[I have the exact same symptoms as you...Please dear jesus let me know if this is normal. I keep thinking that I am pregnant and I go to get a MRI tomorrow on my knee. I hate this so bad. I feel misreable all the time, and my husband thinks that I am just a hypa. I am so glad someone else is going through the same thing. Well, not glad, but I am now not so scared about it being that I'm not alone here. Please email me if you find out what is wrong. My email is _[removed]_.
I was only on it for 2 1/2 years, and I'm 23, but this is really scarey.
Thanks alot!

I have been off Depo for about 4 months, after being on the shot for more than seven years. Fortunately, my period has come back fairly normally...but the other side effects are making my life miserable! I, too, have had the itchy, painful nipples and the mood swings from hell. Lately I have even considered asking to be placed on an anti-depressant to get some semblance of my life back! My sex drive actually ramped into overdrive once I got off the shot and was completely out of control. I have no other explanation than that Depo ruined me. At least temporarily. Thanks to everyone for helping me feel less crazy.